Awning



Dec. 21 1926.

' J. L. CASE AWNI NG Filed May 16. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 JzmasL- 6 21381 M, 03442121, W

Z0175 mass Dec. 21 1926. 1,611,413 7 J. L. CASE 7 AWNING m Filed May 16, 1925 -4 Sheets-Shet 4.

j jgj 19 20 g i 7 87 3 a" r a "r 3M I H1315 10 m 15 V31: i 89 53 a l wizrzess r M Wiu y 6m Patented Dec. 21, 1926.

, 'UNITED STATES JAMES L. CASE, OF SOUTH CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AWNING.

Application filed May 16, 1925. Serial No. 30,882.

My invention relates to awning structures,

particularly to those in which the awning fabric is supported on av roller.

Among the important objects of the invention are: Toprovidc a construction which will protect the roller when the awning is in use and will completely enclose the roller with the awning woundup thereon to protect it against the weather; to provide a construction and arrangement in which the end or selvage bar or frame also serves as the closure member forthe roller housing when the awning fabric is rolled up; to provide an arrangement in which such selvage frame is automatically brought into housing closing position when the awning is rolled upyto provide construction and arrangement which will permit ready adjustability of the length of the housing in order to account for slight variability in the width of window frames,

thicknesses of moldings, and othervariable conditions; to provide simple supporting plates which can be permanently secured to a window frame and to which the housing structure can be readily applied and fro'm which it can readily be removed without the use of tools; to provide an arrangement in which the guide elements for the awning fabric and the awning jib bars are permanently and adjustably secured to the plates; to provide improved means for automatically locking the jib bars in open position, and for permitting ready release thereof when the awning is to be rolled up; to provide an arrangement in accordance with which all the parts for the entire structure are assembled at the factory and either permanently supported on the plates or on the housing structures so that after the plates are secured to a window frame all that will be necessary will. be to apply the housing structures to the plates whereupon the structures will be ready for use.

The above and other features of my inven tion are incorporated in the structure disclosed on the drawings, in which Figure 1 is the front elevational view of a window frame showing my improved awning structure installed;

Figure 2 is a sectional view on plane 22 Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view on plane 33 Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 but to enlarged scale and showing'the awning in closed position;

.well known manner.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view on plane 55 of Figure 4; V

Figure 6 is a sectional view on plane 6-'6 Figure 5; V Figure 7 is a-sectional view on plane 7-7 Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a front elevational view of the window frame showing the supporting plates secured thereto, and

Figure 9 is a sectional view on plane 99 Figure 8.

The main housing designated as a whole M is of sheet metal and supported in the end frames A and B, which may be in the form of czistings. The main housing body is of substantially semi-circular cross section. The end frame A has the supporting base 10 from whose inner edge extends forwardly the wall 11 which closes one end of the main housing body and has the peripheral inwardly extendingfiange 12 to which the adjacent end of the housing body is secured as by means of rivets 13, the housing engaging against the inner side of the flange. The wall 11 has the hole 14: for receiving the stub axle 15 for the roller 16. The roller is preferably of wood and the axle maybe threaded axially thereto so that it may be longitudinally adjusted for the purpose hereinafter referred to.

The frame B comprises a base 17 from which extends the end wall 18 and the semicylindrical wall 19, which walls form the chamber 20 for housing the reel 21 which is secured to the reduced end 22 of the roller 16 (Figs. 4 and 5). The cylindrical wall 19 has the inwardly extending peripheral flange 28 to which the adjacent end of the main housing body M is secured as by means of the rivets 24. The end wall 18 has the hole 25 for receiving the stub axle 26 which may be in the form of a screw threaded into the roller at the axial line thereof.

The awning fabric 27 is secured along its upper edge to the roller, and by means of a cord 28 on the reel. the roller may be rotated to roll up or unroll'the awning fabric in the The base 17 has the forwardly extending walls or cars 29 and S0 for supporting a. shaft 31 on which the pulley, in the form of a tube 32, may rotate, end washers 38 being provided for the pulley, the cord being guided by the pulley relative to the reel as the cord is pulled to roll up the owning fabric or is released to permit unrolling.

At its outer end, the awning fabric is hemmed and receives the stay rod 34 which is shown in the form of a tube (Figs. 1 and 7). At each end of this rod is a fitting 35 and each fitting has pin 86 extending therefrom which receives the end of the stay tube. The fittings also have the inwardly extending flanges 3'? to which is secured the sheet metal strip or frame 38. This sheet metal frame and its end fittings fits into the opening in the lower side of the main housing M when the awning is pulled up and shields the roller and awning against the elements. The edge sections 39 and 40 of the housing M are folded outwardly and back, as shown, and flare slightly outwardly so that the closure frame structure may readily enter the main housing (Figs. 6 and 7). Each of the end fittings 35 has a conical projection or nose 41 for guiding the fittings and intervening frame 38 into the opening of the main housing, the rear surfaces 42 of these noses riding across the rear edge of the main housing in order to aline the closure structure in the main housing opening. As best shown in Figure 5, the outer sides of the noses are beveled to form the inclined guide surfaces 43, and the lower end of the wall 11 f the end frame A has the inclined entrance surface 44 while the inner wall of the frame B has the inclined entrance surface 45. These entrance surfaces cooperate with the beveled surfaces 43 to preventcatching of the closure structure and to "ride it accurately toward the main hous opening. The closure frame is of a widui to bring its end fittings outside of the rolled up awning fabric so that such fabric will not interferewith the proper closing of the main housing.

The fittings 35 opposite the guide noses thereon have the rectangular extensions 46 provided on their inner sides with pockets 4'? and lugs 48, the pockets receiving the ends of the jib bars 49 and the slots 50 in said bars receiving the lugs 48, the lugs having apertures for the insertion of cotter pins 51 by means of which the jib bars are detachably secured to the fittings.

At its inner end, each jib bar is pivoted to a guide bracket 52 having the upper and lower ears 53 and 54 for slidably receiving a guide rod 55 which guide rods are secured to the window frame at opposite sides of the window to be protected. At their lower ends, the guide rods extend into stop fittings 56 and these fittings, and the rods at their upper ends, may be secured directly to the window frame. lVhen the awning structure is raised in order to be rolled up, the jib bars will first assume a vertical position and then will be drawn upwardly with the awning with their end slide brackets sliding alon the rods 55. Vi hen the awning is open, the ib bars will slide downwardly until applied to the window frame their brackets engage with the stop fittings 56, whereupon the jib bars will swing outwardly to horizontal position. The awning can be held in, open position or in closed position and with the housing closed, by securing the cord 28 to a suitable cleat 57.

Instead of directly securing the housing structure and the jib bar fitting directly to a window frame, i provide special improved supporting ieans which can be permanently and to which the housing structure and jib bar guide parts may be attached or from which they may be detached without the use of screws, nails, or tools. The supporting structure is in ti e form of sheet metal plates 58 secured against the front edge of the window frame 59, as best shown in Figures 8 and 9. The plates are permanently attacher by means of screws or nails 60. At its upper end, each plate is er-ztended a distance laterally and is bent over to form a retaining flange or hook 61. Under these hook ends of the plates, the bases of the main housing end frames are received and secured at their upper edges. A. d' "ance below the hooked upper end, each plate has a forwardly deflected section 62 providing a seating shoulder 68 and having a long linal slot The elder (33 receives and supports the lower end ofthe main hous' end fitting, and to detachably lock the fittings in place, plates are provided which detachably held in place by means of bolts and wing nuts 67, and whose upper ends overlap and engage against the lower ends of the main housing end f"ame bases. The bolts xtend through c slots (34 and the bolt heads are accomn'iouated the space formed under the plate o the forward deflection through which the slot 64 extends. To assist in properly alining the locking plates the supporting pl s have ridges 6S engaged by the cor pondingly notched sections (if) of the loching plates. By means of the hooked ends 61, the seating shoulders and tie locking plates 65, the main housing can be readily applied and secured rigidly in operative position without the use of screws, nails or tools, and the housing ca be quickly removed. by merely loosening the thumb nuts 67.

The ide l.()l:;- for the jib bars 49 are secured at their upper end to the sup ort-- 111g plates 58, l .t l'iTOtF, at cated at '74). at which ceive the lover fls are adjustably sec. red t rig plates 58 l t i 1 preferably 'wir'g ago through a sl d section 7 0 at the bolt heads may be slot 79 may be of sulu 1 o j-umit Considerable ar 'a number of deflected slotted sections may be provided throughout the extent of the supporting plates, so that the various fittings could be applied and accurate adjustment made.

lVhen a cross bar is to be used with the awning to hold its upper section vertical, such bar may be supported from fittings detachably and adjustably secured on the supporting plates 58 at one of the slotted sections therein. As shown, the fittings 74 are secured by bolts with wing nuts at one of the slots of the supporting plates 58'and these fittings have projecting pins which receive and support the tubular bar 77. The bar extends in front of the awning fabric and the guide rods 55 so that the jib bars can pass underneath the cross bar when the awning is raised or lowered.

It is very desirable that the j? 1 locked ,inst swinging and rattling when the awni n is down and also that the awning be drawn up taut to prevent liutterl thereof. 1 have shown simple in ans for complishing this. ln-each jib bar l pivot a latch arm 79 for coope-ating with a, latch notch 80 on the associated slide bracket which supports the corresponding jib bar. In advance of the notch SO is the shoulder 81 behind which the latch arm T9 hangs when the jib bar is in vertical poston. When the jib bars swing outwardly and downwardly, the ends of the latch arms engage along the rounded surfaces of the shoulders until they drop into the notches 80. ns soon as this happens, the awning cord 28 is pulled up tight, the jib bars then being locked in horizontal position by the engagement of the latch alarm in the notches, and the latch bars will be held rigid and the awning fabric willbe held taut; When the awning is to be rolled up, the cord is slackened sufli'r-iently to allow the jib bars to swing downwardly asntlicient distance to release the aru is 79 from the notches and these arms will then drop down and the jib bars can then be swung upwardly with the latch arms trailing past the notches back into position lvehind the shoulders 81 when the awning is fully pulled up. To limit the swing in the latch arms, a stop frame is secured to the jib bars and has the stop shoulders 83 and 84. The stop frames may be secured to the jib bars by the rivets 85 which also pivot the latch arms. The downward swing of the jib bars is limited by the ledges 86 on the brackets 52.

Sometimes, even in standard size window frames there is a variation in the width so that after the supporting plates 58 are socured, it may be necessary to lengthen or shorten the housing structure and the various cross bar members. I, therefore, make these parts adjustable. The main housing frain sheet metal body is, therefore, made in halves corners or sides of the window m, m 1 and 5) and they are adjustably eol'inected by a tie plate 87 which along the outside of the halves. The halves m, m have longitudinal slots 88 through which extend the bolts '89 having the wing [then fastened so that the housing structure will accurately lit the window frame and can be accurately seated at the upper ends of the supporting plates 58. v

The sheet metal body of the awning end frame is also split, and comprisesthe two halves which can be rigidly locked together by a tie plate 91, the halves having the longitudinal slots 92 for receiving the bolts 93 (Figures 5 and 7). When the mainhousing and the end frame are adjusted the cross bars 34 and 77 will slide on their supporting pins 36 and 76. Like in the arrangement of the main housing, the end frame tie plate may engage at its longitudinal edges in the folded over edges of the frame'halves, as shown in Figure 7. 7

Sometimes the'window frame to which the supporting plates 58 are secured is irregular or has a molding thereon. In order to facilitate securing the plates, ears or tongues 9% are provided along their inner edges which tongues can readily be bent over against the f ame or molding, as illustrated in Figure '9. This will assist the screws in holding the plates rigidly and securely.

My improved construction and arrangement eliminatesa great deal of expensive labor which was heretofore necessary when an awning was installed at the beginning of a season and then taken downat the end-of a season. lVith my arrangement, where no screws or tools are necessary, after the supporting plates 58 have once been installed, the owner can readily attach or remove his awnings himself. lVhen the awning is rolled up its housing will be entirely closed so that the awning will be fully protected against the weather, and in many cases, it may remain out over winter because of this full protectlon.

Changes and modifications can be made in the construction and arrangementwithout departing from the scope of my invention and I claim the following:

1. In an awning structure, the combination of a main housing having an outlet 325 fabric is rolled up on the roller, and guides on said frame for guiding it to closing position relative to said main housing.

2. In an awning structure, the combination of a housing of substantially semi-circular cross section having an opening along its underside, a roller journaled within said housing, awning fabric secured at one end to said roller to be wound up thereon or unwound therefrom, and a closure frame for said housing opening, said frame being of arcuate cross section and being secured to the outer edge of said fabric, and means for guiding said frame into closing position within said housing opening when the fabric is rolled up on said roller.

3. The combination with a window frame of supporting plates secured along the sides thereof, each plate at its upper end having a retaining flange and having a seat a distance below the flange, a housing structure having supporting bases at its ends for engaging at their upper ends under said retaining flanges and at their lower ends on said shoulders to be thereby seated on said supporting plates, latch plates engaging with said bases to lock them in such seating position, a roller within said housing, and awning fabric secured to said roller to be wound on or unwound therefrom.

4. In an awning structure, the combination of a main housing having an outlet opening, a roller journaled within said housing, awning fabric secured on said roller and adapted to pass through said opening, a stay rod secured to the outer end of said fabric. fittings secured to the ends of said rod, a closure wall extending between said fittings and adapted to fit said housing opening to form a closure therefor, and guiding means on said fittings for guiding said closure wall into said main housing opening when said awning fabric is rolled up on the roller.

5. In an awning structure. the combination of a housing of substantially semi-circular cross section having an opening along its underside, a roller journaled within said housing, awning fabric secured at one end to said roller to be wound up thereon or unwound therefrom, a red at the outer end of said awning fabric, fittings secured to the ends of said rod, a frame extended between said fittings and adapted to fit s; id housing opening to form closure therefor, and guiding means on said housing and fittin s for guiding said fittings into said hous and accurately positioning said closnsv frame within said housing opening.

6. In an awning structure, the coi'nbination of a housing having an opening along its underside, a roller journaled within said housing, awning fabric secured at one end to said roller to be wound up thereon or unwound therefrom, a closure wall secured to the outer ends of said awning fabric, fittings at the end of said \Vill, and guide surfaces on said lit-tings and said housing for guiding said fittings and wall into said housing to close the opening thereof when said awning fabric is wound up on said roller.

7. The combination with a window frame, of supporting plates secured along the sides thereof, each plate at its upper end having a retaining flange and having a seat a dis tance below the flange, a housing structure having supporting fittings at its ends for engaging at their upper ends under said. flanges and at their lower ends on said seats, a roller within said housing, and awning fabric se cured to said roller to be wound on or unwound therefrom.

El. In an awning structure, the combination of a roller. awning fabric secured at one end to said. roller, means for revolving said roller, an end bar secured to the outer end. of said fabric, jib bars secured to the ends of said end bar, guide rods, guide fittings, the ends of said jib bars being pivoted to said guide fittings, said guide fittings having latch notches, latch dogs pivoted on said jib bars and extending toward said fittings, said latch bars when swung above said jib bars being adapted to engage in said fitting notches to prevent further upward swing of said jib bars, said latch dogs when swung below said jib bars gliding past said latch notches when said jib bars are raised.

9. In an awning structure, the combination of a roller, awning fabric secured at one end to said roller, means for revolving said roller, an end bar secured to the outer end of said fabric, jib bars secured to the ends of said end bar, guide rods, guide fittings, the ends of said jib bars being pivoted to said guide fittings, said guide fittings havin latch notches, latch dogs pivoted on said jib bars and extending toward said fittings, said latch dogs hanging with their ends above said fitting notches when said jib bars are raised and said dogs gliding over said fittings when said jib bars are lowered and eng ing said notches when said jib bars are hor aonta and sewing then to lock said jib bars a: bars beyond hori ontal position causing release of said latchdogs from said latch notcnes and said d then traveling past said latch notches without engaging therein when. said jib bars are raised and said awning fabric is wound on said roller.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 12th day of May, 1925.

JAMES L. CASE.

.inst raising. lowering of said jib ill) 

